Helicopter Association International Honours Ken Swartz

Ken Swartz with an Alouette II in Lakeland, Florida during the 2002 HAI. Over the decades Ken has attended the HAI convention 25 times, giving new meaning to the term "inveterate". Fellow helicopter aficionado, Oscar Bernardi from Italy, took this shot.

In advance of its great annual convention and trade show (HELI-EXPO — Houston in February), the Helicopter Association International has announced its 2010 recipient of the HAI “Excellence in Communications Award” — Ken Swartz of Toronto. Ken is a long-time Canadian aviation history researcher and journalist who specializes in rotorcraft. In 1974 he began contributing news stories and photographs to “Rotary Review”, a column in the renowned UK monthly, Aviation News. His first stories were about Okanagan Helicopters and Soloy Conversions. Ken’s “Canadian Comments” became a regular feature in Helicopter International and in subsequent years his informative articles appeared regularly in such other publications as Calgary-based Wings and its sister publication Helicopters. Presently, he is a columnist for Helicopter International, HELiDATA News and Mike Reyno’s world-class journal Vertical.

Ken has been involved in many aspects of Canadian aviation history. In 1987, for example, he was the key researcher for CANAV Books during its project to produce the 60th anniversary history of P&WC. Published in 1989, Power: The Pratt & Whitney Canada covers such rotary history as early Sikorsky sales (S-51, S-55, etc.) in Canada, development of the Sea King for the RCN, and the evolution of the PT6 as a helicopter power plant. Ken unearthed much of this material, whether by interviewing P&WC pioneers, pounding the factory floor with his camera, or pouring through boxes of historic corporate documents. Over the years Power has been hailed as the model for any aviation corporate history, and Ken played a solid part in this end result.

Seeing how the helicopter industry was losing many of its pioneers, in his early years at his trade Ken recorded the voices of more than 150 of Canada’s pioneers. In such work he liaised with many like-minded history and photography buffs around the world, including fellow Canadians Robert S. Petite and Brent Wallace. The Swartz-Petite-Wallace trio has done remarkable work in recording the accomplishments of Canada’s rotary-wing “originals” (Petite presently is completing a history of the Bell 47 and is a columnist for Vertical).

In the wider view of things, Ken has always been on the front line supporting Canada’s aviation history organizations. In the early 1980s he was on the board of the Canadian Museum of Flight in Vancouver, helping it acquire rare Bell, Brantley, Piasecki and Sikorsky helicopters. He has served on the board of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society, and since 2002 has worked diligently (vice-chairman, etc.) with the Canadian Air & Space Museum (formerly the Toronto Aerospace Museum).

Nerds at play ... Ken (right) with Larry Milberry during a 1989 Erickson Air Crane heavy lift job in Brampton, Ontario. Their sidekick and pioneer S-64 pilot, Ross Lennox, set up this gig and took the photo.

I first met Ken in the mid-1980s. It was a bit dizzying, yet refreshing, seeing how he so enthusiastically photographed everything with wings, whether fixed or rotating. None of this pansy stuff for Ken of shooting only military or airliners or whatever else the narrow-minded “specialists” get off on. What a pleasant thing to see — a fan who enjoyed shooting a tiny homebuilt, a lumbering 747, a Bell 47 or a ear-splitting Voodoo. Besides photographing, Ken always had his pocket notebook on the go, filling pages with whatever the topic happened to be. It was, however, with some ambivalence, that I heard from Ken how it was my first book, Aviation in Canada, that had helped inspire him. I was somehow responsible for this fireball of an aviation nerd!

By nature Ken is always supportive and is the sort of fellow to share the good news if there’s something hot in the wind. Over the years we’ve spent many a pleasant trip together, whether on a swan to a NATO fighter meet, a gruelling winter tour down Quebec’s amazing Côte Nord, doing HELI-EXPO in Las Vegas, touring Bell at Mirabel or spending a weekend at the Curtiss Museum. Our latest effort was an overnight to Rome, New York, to see the grand restoration of what I call “the Bob Bogash Super Constellation” — CF-TGE.

Ken’s the man to hang with, since he seems to know everyone and can set up the best extras. On the NATO trip, somehow he and I ended on a great 444 Sqn Kiowa 2-ship tour of the Rhine. On the Quebec trip, he organized our airline schedule, plus a couple of choppers for air-to-air photography. One year he got me on an Antonov 124 delivering Puma helicopters from Toronto to Athens, then on another “124″ swan hauling relief supplies to Rwanda.

In summarizing Ken’s great efforts over the decades, the HAI press release states: “By effectively publicizing the helicopter’s uniqueness, and through his selfless service to historical preservation, Ken Swartz embodies the fine qualities celebrated by the Excellence in Communications Award.” So … congratulations to Ken Swartz on finally being honoured officially by the aviation community.

Aeroplane Monthly Flap: CANAV Replies

If Aviation in Canada: The Pioneer Decades is “a rather curious book”, as Aeroplane Monthly’s Philip Jarrett proclaims in AM December 2009, his own effort certainly amounts to “a rather curious book review”.

To begin, PJ boils down the entire book to being nothing more than “a vehicle” (yuk) for my views “on pioneer priorities”, apparently an attack on the Wright brothers, and some bogus sort of case regarding Gustave Whitehead. His first claim is close enough, the others are childish, especially as the Wright-Whitehead mention takes one half of a page in a book of 176 pages. What gets into a fellow’s head, one wonders! Right off the top, he’s wandered away and is no longer a book reviewer.

A “rather” dopey comment from PJ is that the entire book “leans heavily on the researches and writings of previous chroniclers”. Hog wash. The record of CANAV Books is nothing if not about originality. Since 1981 it has published 30 titles, all of which have been praised for (of all things, PJ) originality. Many of our titles were the first to cover their subjects: The Avro CF-100, The Canadair North Star, Woody:A Fighter Pilot’s Album, The De Havilland Canada Story, Canada’s Air Forces on Exchange, etc., so from whom might CANAV have been filching info regarding those books?

Meanwhile, one wonders where PJ obtained the information for his own books The Colour Encyclopedia of Incredible Aeroplanes and Leading Edge Technology Since 1945. Guaranteed … 99% of his info was filched from “the researches and writings of previous chroniclers”. Had to have been! So judge not, old boy, lest ye also be judged. (One hopes that PJ’s research standards were a bit higher for his biography of Percy Pilcher.)

It’s the CANAV style to deal with new subject matter using original sources; or with well-known general topics giving fresh insights derived from solid sources not previously used in any book. Failing all else, for a very general book such as ACPD, the object is to provide accurate information in an enjoyable-to-read, good-looking format, making sure to recognize sources as per bibliography, photo credits, etc. The Royal Canadian Air Force at War 1939-1945 or Typhoon and Tempest: The Canadian Story are other typical such CANAV titles — old topics newly treated from start to finish. For PJ (who appears never before to have heard of CANAV or me) to make such a criticism shows ignorance and suggests a disconnect with the history process. And how poor for a fellow to make blanket criticisms without giving clear, irrefutable cases. Talk about a disconnect with professionalism.

PJ also might consider that ACPD was created as an unpretentious, general, little Canadian aviation history. It’s for the enjoyment of children, young adults and any ordinary grown-ups who have a simple curiosity about aviation history. How could a reviewer not see that from Page 1? Where in the Preface do I claim that this book is for the PJs of this world or their cronies, whom he alludes to as “hardcore” enthusiasts. (We have those out here in the colonies, too — a strange little crowd of what I call “PhD Wannabees” who are giving a book bad reviews before it’s even in print.)

PJ reviews a book considering himself hardcore, so why did he choose an obviously non-hardcore book upon which to pour his sarcasm, bile and innuendo? Why not review Dick and Jane next? One also might wonder about how the editor at AM went along with this goofy “review”, elevating it to Book of the Month status. Can you believe that! Surely there must have been some decent book to review for the edification of AM’s first-class supporters? Why waste ink, Mr. Editor? It can’t have been that slow a month, that some simple little book from the colonies required an air strike to liven things up on your “Navigator” page.

PJ roars about ACPD including colour photos of airplanes he disapproves of, and of having insufficient treatment of Billy Bishop. Doesn’t he know that all the Bishop books have been written? That controversy went on for 40 solid years, but it is dead and buried at long last. PJ/AM are the only ones in aviation who don’t seem to realize this. Space in ACPD is much better used getting something new into print (such as some photos of the marvellous WWI flying replicas at the Great War Flying Museum).

Oh well, since 1981 CANAV has never had a negative book review from any of the world’s great (or not so great) journals and magazines. Never until Aeroplane Monthly of December 2009. Meanwhile, ACPD has been beautifully reviewed across Canada and the world (by nincompoops, PJ likely will complain). AM, coming in about a year late, is the sole dissenter. Well, failing all else, AM certainly now has it book review “attack dog” ticket. Parting suggestion … before he gets into his next book, perhaps PJ should try a good, strong laxative. Might improve his disposition and the quality of reading material in that otherwise ace of a read — Aeroplane Monthly.

Cheers … Larry Milberry

More Light Planes … Fun to Fly and Fun to Learn About

Cliff Sawyer's modified Cessna L-19 in its jig during restoration at Sioux Lookout circa 2005. (Richard Hulina)

Having covered on our blog the story of Rich Hulina’s fabulous little “Super 150″ C-FRFT, another Sioux Lookout Cessna story is worth the telling.

Cliff Sawyer learned to fly in Minneapolis in 1971. By that time he and his wife, Roma, had come to Canada and were running Cliff and Roma’s Wilderness Camp. In 1989 Cliff bought a damaged 1963 Cessna 185C (c/n 1850674) in the US. He hauled it north and put it into George Allen’s Sioux Lookout maintenance shop for an end-to-end rebuild.

‘0674 ultimately emerged as a sparkling rebuild. As C-FEWE it now became your typical fishing and hunting camp workhorse and to 2009 had flown about 1500 hours. ‘EWE uses a 300-hp Continental IO-520 (original Ce.185: 260-hp Continental IO-470) and has a Robinson STOL kit.

C-FEWE hibernating for the winter at Sioux Lookout on February 6, 1992. (Larry Milberry)

As the years went by, Cliff wanted a plane that would be more for fun than work. He knew that there was a weather-worn frame of an ex-US Army Cessna L-19 in the bush near Atikokan. Although it had sat out for about 25 years, the frame was undamaged, so Cliff bought it with an eye to a restoration.

Back in Sioux Lookout, Cliff had a jig made and the same process started at George Allen’s. Gradually a handsome little plane took shape, but it was quite the hodgepodge of parts. The vertical tail was off a Cessna 185, the horizontal stab from a Cessna 172. A hefty Continental IO-520 engine was installed (the original 1950-vintage US Army L-19 had a 213-hp Continental C-470).

Months later and the L-19 is starting to look rather pretty in the busy Allen Airways hangar. Then, C-FICI as gorgeous as an L-19 could ever look, ready and willing to fly. (Richard Hulina)

 

As C-FICI, the much-modified “amateur-built” Cessna L-19 took to the air again in 2006. It’s a real favourite, and logs about 300 hours yearly. ‘ICI’s a lot more fun than ‘EWE to fly among Cliff and Roma’s six outpost camps, but each plane serves its purpose.

Wings covered against ice and snow, and skis installed, C-FICI sits ready for some fun winter-flying. (Richard Hulina)

Cliff Sawyer's amateur-built L-19 on floats at Sioux Lookout. (Richard Hulina)

The Canadian Army operated 25 Cessna L-19s from 1954 to 1973. Thereafter, many of the survivors became Air Cadet glider towing planes with civil registrations. Here is L-19E 119732 ready for a mission from Uplands (Ottawa) on June 9, 1972. It later flew as glider tug C-FTGU. (Larry Milberry)

Aviation in Canada: The Formative Years — Quelques Bons Mots

Our readers and reviewers are, as always, on the ball. With Aviation in Canada: The Formative Years they are liking what they are reading. In Colorado Springs, George Sweanor, a WWII veteran of Bomber Command and newsletter editor for 971 RCAF Air Marshal Slemon Wing, Air Force Association of Canada, goes out of his way. George writes of Formative Years:

“To me, this book is a treasure trove of long-forgotten, or dimly remembered, aircraft, personnel and publications that meant so much to me as a boy … All of Larry’s books … are national treasures that tell, in a most readable fashion, an amazing story of accomplishment through failures, hardships, and sheer determination.”

Also sold on Formative Years is Bob Petite, one of the world’s top helicopter historians (Bob is completing a worldwide history of the Bell 47 and is a columnist for a  leading helicopter journal — Mike Reyno’s Canadian-published Vertical) Here are Bob’s “bons mots”:

“I hope that all is well and your book sales are moving right along on “The Formative Years”. I just finished reading it over the last week since it arrived … You really covered the bush flying days in detail. I particularly enjoyed the parts on the far north and on the OPAS. I have been to Fort Vermilion, the snye, and there are several lakes NE of Slave Lake named after McConachie, Berry and Brintnell. Your book brought back lots of fond memories of my flying on forestry work in northern Alberta. Well done Sir.”

Thank you both, gentlemen, and thanks also to Pierre Gillard, professor of aviation at the Ecole nationale d’aéronautique at St-Hubert, Quebec. Pierre’s penchant for helicopter history did not impede him as he digested Formative Years, then penned his book review for Quebec’s leading aviation journal, Plein Vol. Here it is for our French-reading audience. Thanks for reading on and spread the good news about Pioneer Decades and Formative Years!

Larry Milberry

Hello Ottawa … Is Anybody Up There? Help! Canada Post is Screwing Us. Somebody Make Them Stop!

Canadians get a deal when mailing a first-class letter at $0.54 + GST. The rate is fair and the service fine. But that seems to be where fairness ends at Canada Post. All other rates are horrendous rip-offs. I’m amazed that there hasn’t been an huge outcry from Tofino to Resolute Bay to Pelee Island to Telegraph Hill.

So often, while in that inevitable line-up at Canada Post, I’ve seen people mailing the smallest parcel domestically and paying out $8.00 – $12.00. Quite often the postage is exceeds the value of what you’re mailing! Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed.

Even worse, the Canada Post customer service person usually will offer you a list of options: next day, 3-5 days, whatever. These are all costlier than the lowest available. The customer often will, without really thinking, agree to some higher rate with the prospect of faster service.

Speedier delivery, which the customer rarely needs, is not assured in spite of the surcharge. If only the customer would just stop to consider the options. For the lowest rate, his/her parcel will get there fast (often within 1 or 2 days in a range of 800 – 1000 km, regardless of a threat from Canada Post of “7 to 10 business days”, etc. And anyway … what’s the big problem with 7 – 10 business days 99.99% of the time?

So look, good people, you’re getting hosed at the cheapest rate to begin. Don’t let them pick your pocket and make you look like a total ninny. And 99.99% of the time — don’t go for the added “insurance” they love to get you to buy.

You get an automatic $100 insurance coverage when you ship cheapest, regardless. Something else to consider: you add a whack of extra insurance and your parcel gets lost or damaged (this almost never happens — having shipped books to thousands to readers around the world, I know this to be true). Good luck trying to settle a claim with Canada Post. Getting to first base would mean finding someone to talk to on the telephone about your claim. Fat chance of that ever happening, right! Yes, there’s a lot to think about when mailing the least little parcel within Canada. Main thing is, start putting the squeeze on Canada Post for a change — turn the tables. Ship cheapest and be sure even to complain like hell about that.

This brings me to the next beef … mailing to the USA. Canada Post USA rates now are so horrendous that a small Canadian business such as CANAV Books can pretty well write off the American market. I used to be able to mail a book, say to Texas, at some half-affordable rate. Today, to mail one copy of any of CANAV’s titles across the border the cheapest cost is anywhere from $20 to $30. Do you think the reader will go for this? Well, people have their limits, so nearly all of the USA business lovingly built up by CANAV since 1981 has disappeared. My diehard customers will still get their books, but only when they are on a trip to Vancouver, Toronto, etc., where they can drop into Aviation World or some such outlet featuring CANAV.

Meanwhile, in the USA the folks in Washington have some respect for small businesses, publishers included. They realize the importance of this huge sector in their economy. They prefer to nurture rather than crush it. (Listen up, Stephen Harper — you used to champion the small businessman, remember? Probably not, eh.) Today, I received in the mail an aviation book ordered from Arizona. This was charged at the 1 kg rate (approx) and the postage was $4.03 — a fair and civilized rate. For me to send the same book back to Arizona, thanks to our beloved Public Enemy No.1 Canada Post the cost would be between $12.65 and $13.95 plus fuel surcharge. Talk about your world-class cash grab and what a disgrace!

As for mailing anywhere across the pond or the bigpond, you can forget about that if you’re trying to sell your small-business product. CANAV has almost no overseas customers left (it now costs about $85.00 to mail by boat one set of Air Transport in Canada to some destination like Australia). The surface rates are so high that even my former EU customers (the EU — where the price of everything’s sky high) are horrified. A couple of Dutchmen have even gone ballistic, chewing me out personally, as if I was the one setting the rates, instead of the mafia (oh well, they’d never have been able to get through to Canada Post to lodge a complaint, so may as well blast the publisher).

Good citizens that they all are, it is ever so hard for Canadians to complain … just ain’t gonna happen. What we are best at is muttering under our breath, but never really standing up and demanding a revolution. We’re just happy getting screwed by the government, I guess, so bring on the HST. What not, eh … tax us a ton more, we love it.

Well, failing all else, think about “The Great Canada Post Rip-Off” next time you’re at the postal counter. But don’t let them screw you completely … take the lowest rate available with no add-ons. Try it, you’ll like it!

Bell Canada: A Laugh a Minute

After nearly 30 years with Bell, CANAV Books recently switched to a rival telephone service. This was easily done, but then came the reality of it.

Last week Bell sent CANAV a little “customer appreciation” note — a $316.05 bill to disconnect the old line. No kidding … to exercise its right to do business elsewhere, CANAV gets mugged by Bell. Well, nothing to do but pay up, right (you can be sure if you dillydallied, Bell soon would have its enforcers at you door).

So CANAV coughed up and so far so good with Vonage. Suddenly, however, here’s Bell back on your doorstep. CANAV receives the sweetest card in the mail from one Peter Kerr — “Vice-President, Marketing, Small Business Market, Bell”. Peter’s got an idea:

“Dear Larry Milberry … Your business means a lot to us and we’re sorry to see you go … we’re still thinking about you. Nothing would please us more than the chance to earn back your business …”

Can you believe this? “Ma Bell” mugs a loyal old customer, then comes straight back in sack cloth and ashes, begging to be taken back in! Well, fat chance, eh! But let’s say CANAV did fall for this con. What likely would be on the first invoice from Bell? Right on …  a $316.05 “re-connect service fee”. Aren’t they just the finest Canadians down at Bell?

History is where it pops up

C-FETE is Beaver No.1204, delivered new circa 1959 to Father W. Leising of the missionary order Oblates of Mary Immaculate at Fort Smith, NWT. Later owners included North Coast Air of Prince Rupert and Odyssey Air of Richmond, BC. Several accidents marred the career of OMI/ETE through the years, but each time it returned to the air spiffier than before. Here, it takes off on September 8, 2009 from Downsview, the place of its birth decades earlier. You can find the history of nearly every Beaver at Neil Aird's amazing website dhc-2.com. (Larry Milberry)

While the photogs were fussing about getting their Arrow-Snowbirds pix this day, a few realized that there was another bit of good history cooking at Downsview. As some beautiful Q400 regional airliners and Global Express bizjets waited on Bombardier’s flight test ramp, a solitary Beaver came rumbling out for takeoff. Minutes later it took off nonchalantly behind a fresh-off-the-line Global Express. Two fabulous airplanes manufactured at Downsview, but half a century apart.

A "green" Global Express (the 363rd example) blasts off on a test flight from Downsview on September 8. This grand bizjet contrasted totally with our pair of iconic Canadian "time machines" -- the Avro Arrow and the DHC-2 Beaver. (Larry Milberry)

Photo ops and variations on a theme

On September 8, 2009 the Canadian Air & Space Museum invited some local aviation history fans to Downsview airport for a photo op. Since the Snowbirds still were in town following the CNE airshow, CASM curator Paul Cabot arranged for the team to do some fly-bys over his museum’s gleaming CF-105 Arrow replica.

With the Arrow basking in the sunshine, the Snowbirds appeared out of the north to make their first pass. Shutters fired madly. Here’s one of my shots that friend Andrew Yee (of Weather Channel fame) photo-shopped to fine effect, cleaning up some crud and getting the sky looking wonderful. (Everyone photo-shops these days, just the way the old fogies used to do photo retouching by spotting and dodging in the darkroom, then air brushing their prints — nothing new under the sun, except that it’s now a “no fuss, no muss” process.)

The idea for the "set up" at Downsview was inspired by this famous Golden Hawks scene, shot by the RCAF at Calgary in July 1960. You can see the drama in this view -- the lower the formation, the more exciting the photo. But you can't always have it your way when you're behind the lens. Someone else is calling other shots, but do the best with what you get and hope for a bit of luck.

Yet another variation on the theme: this shoot was set up at Comox on April 9, 1990, while the Snowbirds were in spring training under team lead LCol Dan Dempsey. I shot this one using a steam-powered 35-mm Pentax SLR. James Jones cleaned up this old Kodachrome for your enjoyment.

Praise from Mike Filey

Toronto Sun columnist and long-time CANAV supporter Mike Filey had these words for Formative Years in his column yesterday:

There’s a beautiful new book from the country’s premier author of books related to Canada’s aviation history. Aviation in Canada: The Formative Years by Larry Milberry covers the fascinating era of the 1920s and 1930s when things were “really flying high” in our young nation. For further details visit canavbooks.com.

Check out Mike’s column in its entirety here.

Rave reviews for “Aviation in Canada”

Terry Higgins of Aviaelogy, publisher of Carl Vincent’s excellent new Canadian Aircraft of WWII, let’s it all hang out about CANAV’s “Aviation in Canada” titles, Pioneer Decades and Formative Years:

Just spent a great evening cruising the captions and photos in both books. Some pretty interesting and esoteric stuff in there. I’m learning a ton or two. Thanks for having the guts and gumption to put these tomes together. Looking forward to the next one for sure… The Formative Years will likely be my first “beyond captions” read of the two. Looks like it’s gonna be the best in that genre since Bent Props and Blow Pots. Have to tell ya, I’m really looking forward to some good armchair time later this evening … I had a flip through the very newest one … made me want to knock off work early today.

Meanwhile, Propliner Magazine’s renowned editor, Tony Merton Jones, puts in his own two cents worth:

Many thanks for that glorious copy of Aviation in Canada: The Formative Years, which arrived a couple of weeks ago. Once again, the detail, information and photographs are remarkable, and it really makes for a fascinating read.

So … resist no longer — get your order in for these spectacular new books. Meanwhile, see canavbooks.com for all the latest titles and ordering info. For fans of WWII reading, check out the superb new biography of RCAF Spitfire pilot Philip Vickers — Surviving Victory.

Introducing … Canadian Aircraft of WWII, by Carl Vincent

Here is Vol.1 of a new series from AviaDossier and you’ll really be wanting this book

At 72 pages, softcover, large format, Canadian Aircraft of WWII (AviaDossier I) features an eclectic selection of 19 RCAF WWII types from the Blackburn Shark to the Bolingbroke, Delta, Hudson, Kittyhawk, Lysander, Mustang, Stranraer and Sunderland. Each chapter is rich in photos, colour profiles and the written word. Modelers will especially appreciate this handsome production.

All this comes great material comes from the renowned Carl Vincent, the Canadian pioneer in publishing major aviation profiles — his 1970s era books on the Shark and Liberator/Flying Fortress in RCAF service, which have been sought-after collectors items for decades. Carl’s publisher, Terry Higgins, has produced the beautifully complementary colour profiles.

Get your hands on this beauty and you’ll be chaffing at the bit for Vol.2, whenever it appears. Specs: 72 pages, biblio, glossary, appendix & index. Regularly $29.95, CANAV’s mailorder price (Canada only, others enquire by email): $25.00 + $9.00 post + GST = $35.70. You can order by PayPal — just email us at larry@canavbooks.com and we’ll make that happen for you via a PayPal invoice.